Study on microstructure, rheological, and mechanical properties of cellulose short fiber reinforced TPVs based on EPDM/PP

Abstract

The morphology, rheology, and mechanical properties of the dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer based on EPDM/PP (60/40, w:w) containing 5, 10, and 20% of cellulose short fiber were studied. From the results it was found that addition of 5% of cellulose fiber has no significant effect on the maximum torque associated with the dynamic vulcanization stage, while higher concentration of fibers decreased the maximum torque. These results were explained in terms of influence of cellulose fibers on the extent of agglomeration formed between the cured rubber particles. The results of tensile test performed on the samples showed that incorporation of 5% of cellulose fibers into the sample has an increasing effect on elongation at break with no appreciable change in tensile behavior. However increasing the cellulose fibers content of the sample to 20% had a remarkable change in tensile properties of the sample resulting in a toughened plastic type behavior. The melt elasticity of the sample containing 5% of cellulose fibers particularly at low shear rate range was found to be lower than that of the sample without fibers indicating the role of fibers in weakening of cured rubber particle agglomeration. This was supported with the results of the relaxation time distribution H(k) and scanning electron microscopy of the samples.

Study on Dye Uptake-Blend Ratio Relation of Melt Spun Polypropylene / Polybutylene-terephthalate Blend Fibers

“…These results, like other reports in other polymer blend systems (Goharpey et al, 2005(Goharpey et al, , 2008Gupta et al, 1991), can be attributed to the interface enhancement of the PBT fibrils formed in the PP matrix phase of the polyblend fiber samples which leads to dispersed particles with less mobility and an increase in the melt viscosities. The melt viscosities of the samples (0.1 1/S -1 ) at low shear rates were extracted from the results and are presented in Figure 4.…”

Novel Intumescent Flame Retardant Masterbatch Prepared through Different Processes and Its Application in EPDM/PP Thermoplastic Elastomer: Thermal Stability, Flame Retardancy, and Mechanical Properties

“…As one kind of TPE, the ethylene–propylene–diene monomer/polypropylene (EPDM/PP) thermoplastic elastomer is usually prepared by dynamic vulcanization. EPDM is copolymerized by ethylene, propylene and unconjugated diene in which the saturated ethylene and propylene constitutional units in EPDM lead to a nice weather fastness, heat resistance and ozone resistance [7,8,9]. One of the two double bonds in the unconjugated diene can play as active center to conduct a cross-linking reaction [10].…”

Effect of short nylon-6 fibres on natural rubber-toughened polystyrene

“…The dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of polyethylene (PE)/EPDM based jute fibres composites was investigated by Gautam and Arup [15]. The influence of short cellulose fibre on the microstructure, rheological and mechanical properties of EPDM/PP TPVs was reported by Goharpey et al [16]. Lopez Manchado and Arroyo [17] have investigated the effect of poly(ethylene-terephthalate) (PET) fibres on the mechanical properties of PP/ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) blend.…”